Social Housing Scheme: Nya-Etok’s Novone Consult to construct 200 apartments in 12 months

The National Social Housing Project in Akwa Ibom State could eventually come to fruition ten years after it had been abandoned.

NEWS LINK can disclose that the Federal Government recently re-awarded the contract to  Novone Consult Ltd and Precision Investment Ltd after it was fully captured in the 2017 budget.

Speaking to newsmen recently, Arc Ezekiel Nya-Etok, Principal Partner of Novone Consult said   that Novone Consult has been mandated to construct 100 units of 3 bedroom semidetached bungalows to accommodate 200 home owners, explaining that work is at various levels of construction between German Floor and Lintel Levels.

The amiable architect disclosed that the housing project is the only social/affordable housing project in the country and lauded the Federal for thinking in this regard and capturing it in the present approved budget.

Conducting the newsmen round the expansive site, Arc Nya-Etok, said the project is a pilot of the Federal Government Social Housing Scheme and disclosed that the land for the estate which is directly opposite the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Olusegun Obasanjo Way was donated by the state government under the administration of Arc. Obong Victor Attah.

He said although work had commenced ten years ago, it was stalled on technical grounds leading to its formal termination and then being subsequently re-awarded by Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, the Honourable Minister of Power, Works & Housing.

“Our intention is to ensure that as much as 40-50% of the units have Civil Servants as beneficiaries where they will enjoy certain concessions, and also be availed of the National Housing Fund Mortgage facility.

“This will be one of the few estates that come complete with onsite infrastructure and ancillary facilities. We are also in talks with NDDC and AKSG to ensure that the estate is a gated estate with the best of modern facilities.

“We have three sets of beneficiaries. The first set includes those who won it through the balloting process 10 years ago and the cost is N7million; the second set includes public servants at the cost of N7.5million, and the third set includes the general public at the cost of N8.5million. In fact, it is a retirement programme for those who are able to get the property because its rental value is going to be high,”Arc Nya Etok said.